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Indians-Twins Preview

Jul 19, 2010 - 1:14 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (37-54) at Minnesota (48-43), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Coming off a successful series against the team atop the AL Central, the Minnesota Twins hope to continue their winning run when facing the club at the bottom of the division.

The Twins look for a fourth straight victory while trying to prevent the Cleveland Indians from matching a season high with their fifth consecutive win Monday night at Target Field.

Minnesota (49-43) moved into a second-place tie with Detroit, 1 1/2 games behind division-leading Chicago, after winning the final three of a four-game weekend series against the White Sox. The Twins also received some help when the Indians (38-54) swept a four-game series with the Tigers.

The Twins have won four of six against the Indians this season, including two of three at Target Field in April.

Delmon Young's two-run single capped a four-run ninth inning in Minnesota's 7-6 victory over Chicago on Sunday.

"I think we all kinda felt that something good was going to happen," said Minnesota shortstop J.J. Hardy, who was 7 for 15 in the Chicago series.

Young, who drove in three runs Sunday, is 8 for 20 with five RBIs in his last five games.

Michael Cuddyer had three hits in the finale and is 7 for 13 in his last three games. He is batting .308 with a homer and four RBIs against Cleveland this season.

Minnesota's Scott Baker (7-8, 4.87 ERA) hopes some rest over the All-Star break will help provide relief for an inflamed elbow as he takes the mound Monday. The right-hander, who has a 6.56 ERA while losing three of his last four starts, gave up five runs in six innings of an 8-1 loss at Toronto on July 8.

"I feel much better," Baker told the Twins' official website. "I'll be anxious to see how Monday goes and how I'll recover. That will probably be the biggest thing. But as far as going out there and pitching goes, I'm definitely good to go."

Baker went 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA in five starts against the Indians in 2009, but he lost his only previous game against them this season, allowing six runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings of an 8-1 home loss April 22.

Two of Jhonny Peralta's 11 hits against Baker have left the park. The Indians third baseman hit a three-run inside-the-park home run in Sunday's 7-2 win over the Tigers. Peralta, 6 for 18 with a homer against Minnesota this season, had missed the previous three games with the flu.

"No more fever," Peralta told the Indians' official website.

Without injured starters Grady Sizemore (knee), Asdrubal Cabrera (forearm) and Shin-Soo Choo (thumb), the Indians outscored Detroit 21-8 over the weekend. However, Cleveland has totaled 20 runs in six games against Minnesota this season.

Looking for another strong effort from a starter, Cleveland turns to Aaron Laffey (1-3, 5.12) on Monday.

The left-hander gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-0 loss at Tampa Bay on July 10. He is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts since being recalled from the minors June 25.

Laffey is 4-2 with a 4.70 ERA in eight starts against the Twins.